Miracle Herbs

All About Ashwaganda

Description

Ashwaganda, also spelled ashwagandha, is a member of the pepper family known as Withania somnifera. The small evergreen grows in the frost-free drier parts of western India, northern Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. Ashwaganda grows to a height of 2-3 ft (about 1 m) and has oval leaves, showy yellow flowers, and red, raisin-sized fruits. All parts of the plant, including the root, are used medicinally. Ashwaganda is also called winter cherry, withania, asgandh, and Indian ginseng.

General use

Ashwaganda is a major herb in the Ayurvedic system of health and healing. Ayurvedic medicine is a system of individualized healing derived from Hinduism that has been practiced in India for more than 2,000 years. It is a complex system that recognizes different human temperaments and body types. Each of these types has different qualities that affect a person’s health and natural balance.

In Ayurvedic medicine, disease can result from any of seven major categories of factors: heredity, congenital, internal, external trauma, seasonal, habits, or supernatural factors. Disease can also be caused by misuse of the five senses: sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. Diagnoses are made through questioning, observation, examination, and interpretation. Health is restored by evaluating the exact cause of the imbalance causing the disease or condition and then prescribing herbs, exercises, diet changes and/or meditation to help restore the natural balance of body, mind, and spirit. Prescriptions are highly individualized, so that the same symptoms may require different remedies in different people.

Ashwaganda is used to treat a great many different conditions in Ayurvedic medicine. Every part of the plant is used: leaves, fruit, flowers, and root. In addition, the young shoots and seeds are used to as food and to thicken plant milks in the making of vegan cheeses. The fruit can be used as a substitute for soap, and the leaves are sometimes used as an insect repellent. Although ashwaganda can be taken alone, it is more often combined with other herbs in tonics to enhance its rejuvenating effects.

Indian ginseng

Ashwaganda is sometimes called the Indian ginseng because its actions and uses are in many ways similar to those of Chinese ginseng, although its cost is much lower. In Hindi, the name of ashwaganda means “horse smell.” This unromantic name refers less to the herb’s odor than to a horse’s strength and health. Ashwaganda is supposed to impart that same horse-like strength to the people who use it.

Ashwaganda is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are substances that non-specifically enhance and regulate the body’s ability to withstand stress and increase its general performance in ways that help the whole body resist disease. Ashwaganda is celebrated as an adaptogen that will do all of the following:

• boost strength
• increase stamina and relieve fatigue
• enhance sexual energy and rejuvenate the body
• strengthen the immune system
• speed recovery from chronic illness
• strengthen sickly children
• soothe and calm without producing drowsiness
• clarify the mind and improve memory
• slow the aging process

The powdered root of ashwaganda is normally used for whole body tonics that improve general health and well being. For most of these uses, ashwaganda is prepared as part of a rasayana, or rejuvenating formula that contains many different herbs. The use of ashwaganda in multi-herb formulas makes it difficult for modern laboratory scientists to assess its specific effects as an adaptogen.

Disease-specific uses

In addition to the whole body effects of ashwaganda, the plant is used for many other specific conditions. Different parts are used for different conditions. Ashwaganda is one of the most frequently used remedies in India. It is taken internally for:

• anemia
• arthritis
• asthma
• bronchitis
• cancer
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• colds
• coughs
• depression
• diarrhea
• fluid retention
• hemorrhoids
• hypertension
• hypoglycemia
• leprosy
• nausea
• rheumatism
• sexually transmitted diseases
• stomach ulcers
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• tuberculosis
• tumors

Ashwaganda can also be made into a poultice for external use, as it is thought to have antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is used to prevent infection in skin wounds and to treat skin diseases, including psoriasis, ringworm, and scabies.

Laboratory studies

University and medical researchers have been studying ashwaganda since at least the early 1960s. Chemical analysis shows that ashwaganda contains compounds thought to have anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties. Other compounds have been isolated that are associated with ashwaganda′s sedative and anti-stress effects.

The most rigorous laboratory tests have been done in test tubes and on rats, mice, and other small laboratory animals. There is no proof that ashwaganda affects humans in the same way that it affects rodents. In animal studies, however, ashwaganda has been shown to have consistent anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-stress, and sedative effects. In one well-known study, extracts of ashwaganda root were shown to significantly increase the swimming endurance of rats in a test that is considered a classic stress test.

Experimenters have had mixed results in demonstrating anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties of ashwaganda. Many have found that extracts of ashwaganda root slow the growth of tumor cells in test-tube and small-animal experiments, but these results have not yet been reproduced in human subjects. Some researchers report that ashwaganda makes tumors more sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy without increasing side effects caused by these therapies.

Although there is little doubt that ashwaganda contains biologically active compounds that produce some of the healing effects in humans that have been found in test tube and small animal studies, few controlled studies using people have been done. One drawback to arriving at conclusive evidence in humans is that most people take ashwaganda as part of a multi-herb tonic, making it difficult for researchers to attribute specific actions to any one particular component of the formula. Scientific interest in ashwaganda is high, and laboratory studies continue to be performed.

Preparations

Ashwaganda is available in many forms, including powders, decoctions, essential oil, tinctures, and teas made from the root, root bark, and the leaves. Commercially ashwaganda is available as capsules. The usual capsule dosage is 300 mg of powdered root, taken once or twice a day. Tincture dosage is often 2-4 ml (0.5-1 tsp) daily. Ashwaganda tea can be made by boiling the roots for about 15 minutes. Three cups a day is recommended. The fruit is often chewed to assist in convalescence from prolonged illness. These are simply representative doses and uses, since Ayurvedic medicine is highly individualized. The dose recommended depends on both the body type of the person and the nature of his or her illness.

Precautions

Ashwaganda is not recommended for use by pregnant women. Thousands of years of use have shown that this plant is quite safe. On the other hand, laboratory tests indicate that rats given high levels of ashwaganda root extract develop kidney lesions. This effect has not been seen in humans, but using the herb in moderation may be prudent.

Ashwaganda has a sedative effect on the central nervous system. It will enhance the effect of any other central nervous system sedatives (e.g., barbiturates or alcohol) that are taken at the same time. People operating heavy equipment or working in situations that require a high level of alertness should keep this in mind when using ashwaganda.

Side effects

No undesirable side effects have been reported with ashwaganda.

Interactions

There are few, if any, studies of how ashwaganda interacts with traditional Western medicines. It has been used for many years in combination with other Ayurvedic herbs without incident. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that when ashwaganda is combined with other herbs in rejuvenation formulas, it enhances the effects of these other herbs.

Key Terms

Adaptogen

A substance that acts in nonspecific ways to improve the body’s level of functioning and its adaptations to stress.

Decoction

A liquid extract of a herb, made by simmering or boiling the herb in water, then straining out the plant parts.

Poultice

A soft moist mass of cloth, usually containing herbs, applied warm or hot to relieve pain or speed healing in a part of the body.

Psoriasis

A skin disease characterized by dry, scaling, whitish patches.

 

Scabies

A contagious skin disease caused by a mite and characterized by small, raised, red, very itchy pinprick bumps on the skin.

Tincture

An alcohol-based extract of a herb prepared by soaking plant parts in alcohol or a mixture of alcohol and water.

Tonic

A medicine given to strengthen and invigorate the body. Ashwaganda is frequently used as a tonic.

Vegan

Food products made without any animal products such as meat, milk, or eggs. A vegan diet is a nutrition regimen that excludes all animal products.

Source : www.findarticles.com

 

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Indian Ginseng

Ashwaganda is a plant in the same family as the tomato. It grows as a stout shrub that reaches a height of five feet (170 centimeters). Like the tomato, ashwaganda bears yellow flowers and red fruit, though the fruit is berrylike in size and shape. Ashwaganda grows prolifically in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. All parts of the plant are used in herbal medicine.

Ashwaganda is a Hindi name meaning “horse’s smell.” The term refers not only to the smell of a horse, but also to a horse’s strength. Some herbalists refer to ashwaganda as Indian ginseng, since it is used in ayurvedic medicine in the same way that ginseng is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

USES

Ashwaganda has been used for more than 2,500 years as a “vitalizer.” Today, we would place it in the category of adaptogens. It is rejuvenating, balancing, strengthening, and calming to the nervous system. Ashwaganda is useful for relieving fatigue, nervous exhaustion, and memory loss. This herb also has a reputation as an aphrodisiac and is believed to help prevent sterility in males and sexual ailments. A mild sedative, ashwaganda reduces mental chatter and promotes calm sleep. It also promotes tissue regeneration and slows the aging process.

It is excellent for use in bodybuilding and for any type of physical sport, as it gives an instant charge of long-lasting energy without the use of stimulants.

Benefits of ashwaganda for specific health conditions include the following:

* Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems. Ashwaganda helps correct memory loss by modifying the way in which the brain uses acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits messages from nerve cell to nerve cell. If oxygen levels are low, the brain acquires acetylcholine by destroying its own cells. The cell remnants form neurofibrillary tangles, blocking the transmission of nerve signals and resulting in Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. Ashwaganda decreases the likelihood that the brain will cannibalize its own cells. This action reduces cognitive deficit and memory loss in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
* Arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Animal studies have found that naturally occurring steroids in ashwaganda are more potent than treatment with the synthetic steroid hydrocortisone for controlling inflammation. These natural steroidal compounds also reduce the pain of arthritis as effectively as aspirin and phenylbutazone when given in the same amount, but without the immune-depressing side effects those medications cause.
* Autoimmune disorders. Ashwaganda increases red and white blood cell counts after treatment with azathioprine (lmuran), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar), or prednisone for autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
* Cancer. Ashwaganda extracts increase platelet counts, red blood cell counts, and white blood cell counts during cancer chemotherapy treatment with cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar). Animal studies in India also have found that ashwaganda sensitizes cancer cells to radiation treatment, making treatments approximately 50 percent more effective. Studies have shown that ashwaganda is helpful in putting cancer tumors into regression.
* Sex drive, diminished. Ashwaganda is a sexual “grounding″ herb that reduces the frequency of premature ejaculation and increases sexual stamina. Ashwaganda’s active principles, alkaloids and withanoloids, have longevity enhancing and sexually stimulating properties.
* Stress. Ayurvedic medicine has used ashwaganda as a general tonic for centuries to stimulate long-term endurance. Ashwaganda contains steroid like compounds that may increase resistance to stress.

CONSIDERATIONS

Ashwaganda is available in capsule form. The product you choose should be standardized for withanolides.
When used to increase sex drive, ashwaganda should not be taken in instances of acute sexual anxiety, as its effects take hold only after about one week of daily use. For the conditions listed above, be sure not to use a product called ashwaganda oil. That is a combination of ashwaganda with almond oil and rose water designed to be used as a facial toner. Do not eat ashwaganda berries, as they can cause severe gastrointestinal pain. Taking ashwaganda with tranquilizers may result in drowsiness and loss of coordination. You should avoid this herb if you are taking prescription medications for anxiety, insomnia, or a seizure disorder.

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Ashwagandha: Wonder Herb of India

Ashwagandha: Wonder Herb of India

Of all the medicinal plants used in India’s several millennia old tradition of Ayurveda, ashwagandha, Withania somnifera, is the most highly prized. Use of the root can be traced back as far as 3,000 years. Ashwagandha is classified as a rasayan, a rejuvenating or life extending agent. The rasayan are the most esteemed of Ayurveda’s herbs, as they imbue the user with life itself. The root of the plant appears in remedies for cough, rheumatism, gynecological disorders, fatigue, emaciation, inflammation, ulcers, sore eyes, and diminished brain function.

Ashwagandha is also India’s most potent hot plant. It is used equally by men and women, and is widely prescribed by physicians to adults with low libido, and to improve sexual function. In the system of Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha is king of the herbs. I was in the hot, tropical climes of southern India to research the plant, and to learn about its potent, sex-enhancing properties.

Ashwagandha Plant ha a very pleasant look. A small woody shrub, ashwagandha features elliptical green leaves, small uniform five-petaled flowers, and red seeds. The plant flowers year around. The root of the plant is the prize,  A long taproot and a mass of smaller roots held clumps of soil. According to the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, an acre of cultivated ashwagandha will yield about 500 pounds of root, which when dry reduces to around 150 pounds. It takes a year to bring the plant to maturity. Harvest is usually between January and March. The plant is forgiving too, and requires little attention and no irrigation, even in the parched climate of southern India. Ashwagandha is a strong and vigorous plant, thriving where other plants wither and die.

There is an herb regarded as a 1st class adaptogenic tonic in one of the world’s greatest herbal medical systems, an herb which can compare favorably to the world’s most renowned herbal tonics such as ginseng (Panax ginseng) , astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) , dang gui (Angelica sinensis), reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) and South American suma (Pfaffia paniculata) and like these has been held in high regard by generations of people over the course of millennia for its ability to increase vitality, energy, endurance and stamina , promote longevity and strengthen the immune system without stimulating the body’s reserves. In fact having the ability to nurture the nervous system, counteract anxiety and stress to promote a calm state of mind. This same herb, having powerful anti-inflammatory properties, is specific for treating arthritic and rheumatic conditions. As if all of these were not enough, it is easily the most potent tonic aphrodisiacs in the entire botanical kingdom. With all of these uses, Withania somnifera, better known in India as ashwagandha, is destined to rise significantly and take its place with all the other better known tonics.

The unique properties of ashwagandha , while being an energy tonic like ginseng or codonopsis for instance, is uniquely more beneficial for calming the mind, relieving arthritis and building sexual energy while ginseng and codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula also known as “bastard ginseng” because it is an acceptable milder substitute) is more specifically effective for low energy caused by digestive weakness. Astragalus, classified as another Qi or energy tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is stronger as an immune tonic. Again, these properties are equally shared by ginseng, codonopsis and ashwagandha, but more indirectly because of their effects on other physiological systems. Ashwagandha is also useful for strengthening the female reproductive system for which it is commonly combined with another Ayurvedic herb called shatavari (Asparagus racemosa) but the Chinese herb, dang gui (Angelica sinensis and A. acutiloba), renowned as a blood tonic, is especially beneficial in gynecology for deficient blood conditions, anemia and irregular menstruation. The uniqueness of Ashwagandha is that it achieves its results through strengthening the nervous system and the reproductive hormones.
Because the primary quality and flavor of ashwagandha is sharp and pungent, this indicates that it is warming, raises metabolism, stimulates digestion, clears mucus, and improves circulation. Unlike TCM, Ayurveda also identifies a secondary post-digestive flavor, which for ashwagandha is sweet. It is this effect, which is not necessarily directly identified by one’s sense of taste, that occurs when a substance is converted into a still purer nutritive extract  . Following this, the post digestive sweet flavor of ashwagandha represents its deep nutritive, hormonal properties as well as its ability to strengthen and nourish the nervous system.

An even deeper and more profound transformation of food occurs after 7 days. This is when food is transformed into blood. Only after a month does the most refined essence of food transform into semen. It is at this deepest level that ashwagandha exhibits its profound aphrodisiac properties.

Possible Side Effects:
You may feel lightheaded, tired, or sleepy. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities that require you to be alert until you see how this product affects you.
Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy, or chewing gum may help.

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